Election Season in Manitoba: Key Takeaways

Section 4

Bargaining Update & FAQ

Section 5

Provincial Double Dues

Section 6

Education Conference: 2019 Recap

Section 7

Climate Change & Health: It’s Time For Nurses to Act

The last few months have been an extraordinary period of time for our union. Union representation votes demanded our focus during the summer months, and overlapped with an early provincial election and a much anticipated federal election. At the same time, the Pallister government continued to push through significant health care cuts in the WRHA despite growing evidence of a worsening nursing shortage, high vacancy rates, increasing workload and skyrocketing overtime.
2019 has not been an easy year. However, we have a lot to be proud of. Instead of backing down from the challenges in front of us, our members have made their voices heard, and our union is stronger because of it.
This summer, nurses in Shared Health, WRHA and Southern region were forced into union representation votes. The process was triggered by Bill 29, The Health Care Sector Bargaining Review Act, which reduced the number of health care bargaining units and forced nurses to be represented by a single union in each health region or province-wide employer (i.e., Shared Health).
Although MNU already represented 97% of all unionized nurses, a small number were represented by other unions. Bill 29 required MNU to campaign for nurses in
the WRHA, Shared Health and Southern region. Although Interlake-Eastern, Prairie Mountain and Northern regions were exempt, it still meant the vast majority of our
membership was affected.
As President, I never took anything for granted. Even though we had an advantage, this was about so much more than just winning. We fought hard, and I’m proud we did. Read a full report of our campaign in our representation vote recap (pages 4 to 5).
These results clearly show that nurses support MNU: The only union run for nurses and by nurses! No other union competing for other classifications came close to matching our level of support. It’s a testament to our unity and strength as a NURSES UNION.

I want to thank everyone that took the time to work on our campaign and vote. Our organizers and staff fought through these challenges, and our efforts during the pre-campaign, campaign and voting periods paid off. We can now look forward to welcoming over 500 new members into our union.
I also want to thank all the nurses that made their voices heard in the provincial and federal elections. The Manitoba election was called over a year early by Premier Pallister, and was timed to overlap with the union representation vote campaign. As well, the federal campaign followed right after, which tested the endurance and focus of even the most politically active Manitobans.
Despite these challenges, MNU was outspoken during both campaigns. We stood with our nursing union partners across the country by demanding promises to implement a universal pharmacare program in Canada. And I was proud to endorse a robust proposal to phasein a ban on mandatory overtime during the provincial election.
Of course, now we must focus our attention on resuming preparations for collective bargaining. Although the Pallister government has not yet indicated when it will return to the table, MNU will be starting a new round of bargaining consultations with members. Please read our Bargaining Update & FAQ inside this issue for more details about our efforts, and stay tuned to The Pulse and manitobanurses.ca for more information in the coming weeks and months.
Thank you for your support, and I wish you and your loved ones a safe and happy holiday season.

Sincerely,

Darlene JacksonPresident, Manitoba Nurses Union

The recent union representation vote campaign was an extraordinary period of time for MNU. Members were affected by a process that was designed by the Pallister government to be lengthy and complicated. In response, MNU made every effort to significantly increase communication to ensure all members were kept up to date on campaign efforts, rules, and processes.

Bill 29, The Health Care Sector Bargaining Review Act, forced MNU onto the ballot for the nursing classification in the WRHA, Shared Health, and Southern region. Interlake-Eastern, Northern, and Prairie Mountain were exempt as no other union was competing for nursing representation. Nonetheless, this meant the vast majority of MNU locals/worksites were affected. This was a significant and unnecessary expansion of the campaign for a union that already represented 97% of all unionized nurses in Manitoba.

Number of MNU members affected: 9,500~ (Approximately 80% of total membership)

Number of non-MNU members affected: 500~

Total number of voters: 10,000~

REP VOTE RESULTS:

Shared Health: 96.2% for MNU; 67.9% overall turnout

Southern: 96.6% for MNU; 68.1% overall turnout

WRHA: 90.9% for MNU; 64.4% overall turnout

There were three distinct phases of MNU’s efforts: the pre campaign period (January to July 2019), official campaign period (July 11 to August 7, 2019), and voting period (August 8 to August 22, 2019). During the precampaign period, MNU hired a campaign manager to oversee the process, as well as a team of nurse organizers in each affected region that could reach out directly to members in affected facilities.

Throughout each phase, MNU was actively organizing to ensure a high turnout vote and victory. Members were reminded that MNU is the only union run for nurses and by nurses. This was simple and effective in comparison to other health care unions, which represent dozens of job classifications in a variety of sectors. Other health care unions on the ballot simply can not match the specialization, service and expertise that MNU provides to nurses.

In order to enhance communication with members, MNU made available a variety of printed and online resources to members, including pamphlets, swag, social media advertisements and a dedicated campaign website (manitobanurses.ca/vote). The purpose of these materials was to remind nurses of the many benefits of MNU representation, and encourage membership engagement with the union. MNU also set up dozens of booths during the campaign period. Although times were limited and scheduled by the Bill 29 Commissioner, nurse organizers made every effort to reach as many members as possible by taking advantage of the opportunity to campaign inside each facility, including hospitals, personal care homes and clinics.

During the voting period, MNU staff and organizers took care to ensure MNU members that already voted were excluded from further reminders to vote. Daily voting lists provided by the Bill 29 Commissioner were used to track which members had voted. MNU recognized that this was an unprecedented amount of communication being shared, and efforts were made to remove those who already voted from further communication.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

MNU members have a lot to be proud of despite being forced into the process unnecessarily. Voting took place during the dog days of summer and overlapped with a provincial election campaign, making it more difficult to compete for the attention of affected members.

Nonetheless, this campaign demonstrated that nurses overwhelmingly support MNU: the only union run for nurses and by nurses.

Despite extraneous circumstances impacting members, the campaign was received well and was reflected by a strong voter turnout in favour of MNU. Although the process was not ideal, MNU will gain 500 new members as a result, and accomplished a key goal: to send the Pallister government a clear message that nurses are united, and won’t stand for any further attacks on our members and health care system.

It was a busy and unusual fall due to back-to-back provincial and federal elections. Following several months of intense speculation, Premier Brian Pallister ultimately decided to call an early provincial election for September 10, just six weeks before the federal election long-scheduled for October 21.

This meant Manitobans would face nearly two months of constant political campaigning. And to make matters even more complicated, nurses would also be forced to vote for union representation during the provincial election campaign (see pages 4 to 5 for a fullrecap of the representation vote campaign).

The intent of Manitoba’s fixed election date law is to ensure the governing party does not have an unfair advantage by surprising the opposition with a snap election. However, there is a loophole in the legislation which allows the premier to ask the Lieutenant Governor to dissolve the house at any time. Although the intent of this loophole was to provide a means for an election if the governing party lost the confidence of the house(a probable issue for minority and narrow majority governments). Nonetheless, it was used by Premier Pallister despite his party commanding 38 out of 57 legislative seats.

This unusual scenario made it difficult for many Manitobans to keep track of all the health care promises made by political parties at both levels of government. Moreover, both incumbent parties were returned to power (albeit the Trudeau Liberals were reduced to minority status). The results of both campaigns sent mixed messages about what to expect from both levels of government on variety of issues, including health care.

What should nurses conclude from all the recent political activity?

Health care is primarily a provincial responsibility in term of service planning and delivery. However, the federal government provides significant funding and is responsible for ensuring a equitable public system across the country. Although universal pharmacare did receive significant attention from most federal parties, the provincial election was comparatively far more dominated by health care issues. Nonetheless, the outcomes of both elections will have a variety of implications for nurses and our health care system. Here are five key takeaways for nurses from both election campaigns.

Nurses, union activists and community partners take part in the Save the Concordia ER Rally (May 8, 2019).

Provincial Election 2019

1. Nurses made health care a ballot box issue

Health care was the most discussed issue leading up to and during the provincial election campaign. In April 2017, the Pallister government announced the most significant health care cuts and closures in a generation, and the impacts have been felt across the province, although the most severe changes have taken place in Winnipeg.

Most media coverage has focused on the consolidation of six emergency rooms to just three city-wide, however, nearly every program in the WRHA has been impacted in some capacity.

Although the PCs were re-elected with 36 out of 57 seats, the NDP increased its seat count from 12 to 18 and the Liberals won 3 seats. These results sent a message that Manitobans are paying attention, and that more people are noticing the difference between what the government says is happening in health care, and the realities on the frontlines.

There have been hundreds of media stories covering health care issues and nurses’ concerns about the ongoing transformation. Since January 2018, MNU has been featured in well-over 300 online articles – that’s an average of over three stories per week! MNU also collected over 17,000 signatures as part of two rounds of Put Patients First petitions to the legislature; engaged Manitobans across the province through advertising, including a new TV commercial (Real Talk); and participated in multiple rallies with hundreds of nurses and concerned Manitobans.

All of this factored into making health care a top-of-mind issue for many voters, and Manitoba’s nurses played a key role in making it a ballot box issue and changing political dynamics.

2. All Parties Promise to Hire More Nurses

One of the fundamental truths in Manitoba politics is that nurses are a force to be reckoned with. Nurses are consistently ranked among the most trusted professionals in Canada, and the most trusted professionals in health care. Politicians of all parties understand this and generally make promises to hire more nurses; this election was no different, however, the details of each plan varied greatly.

The Manitoba NDP promised $13.5 million over four years to hire more nurses in specialized programs, and $1.8 million to restore 75 nursing spots at Red River College. The Manitoba Liberals made detailed promises to restructure the health care system and increase funding in order to fill more positions, although they did not promise a specific number of nurses.

The re-elected PC party promised to hire 200 more nurses within four years, although they did not clarify how they would measure progress for meeting this goal. The PCs later clarified their promise is to hire 200 nurses in addition to filling existing nursing vacancies in the system. However, it is unclear how they will meet this objective with vacancies at record highs in many facilities across the system, and ongoing austerity in health care spending. As health care news continues to make headlines, MNU will be closely monitoring the PCs’ plan to hire more nurses.

3. Questions about plans for rural and northern health care still unanswered

Rural and northern health care issues were not featured prominently in the campaign. In fairness, with so much change happening in the WRHA, it was expected to dominate the focus of all parties. Nonetheless, every party acknowledged the need to improve access to care in rural and northern communities, although their plans for doing so varied considerably.

The Manitoba NDP did release a Northern Platform that stood out on health care. It included promises to “create a new hospital-level health centre in Island Lake communities, restoring the Lifeflight services, reinstating the obstetrics program in Flin Flon, repairing and upgrading operating rooms in Thompson hospital, and improving dialysis services” (Winnipeg Sun, August 24, 2019). The Manitoba Liberals and PCs were not as specific, choosing instead to integrate their responses within wider provincial strategies for health care.

As the re-elected PC party plans its next steps, MNU will be monitoring its plans for rural health care closely. As of October, the government had already confirmed that significant changes are on the way, including facility closures and the consolidation of services in rural and northern Manitoba. Expect more news on these initiatives in the coming months.

4. Low voter turnout a reminder of the importance of political advocacy

Unfortunately, the 2019 Manitoba election featured a historically low voter turnout. Although the number of registered voters increased significantly compared to 2016, the actual number of votes cast was lower than any election in the 1980s and 1990s. Clearly, there is more work to do in reminding our fellow citizens of the importance of voting.

Nurses are trusted spokespeople, and can use their voice to affect real change in society. This includes political advocacy to ensure that elected officials honour their promises, including in health care. Nurses already do a lot to make their concerns heard by the public; but there’s always more work to do to remind colleagues, families, friends and neighbours about the importance of voting and being engaged in the democratic process.

5. NDP Promise Phased-In Ban on Mandatory Overtime

The most significant and detailed health care announcement during the provincial campaign was made by the Manitoba NDP. Although every major political party made promises to hire more nurses and increase funding for health care, the pledge to ban mandatory overtime stood out as a bold and decisive move to address a serious issue impacting nurses throughout the system.
Mandatory overtime is symptomatic of an acute nursing shortage. When an insufficient number of nurses are available to work at regular time to fill baseline staffing positions, the likelihood of mandating to fill scheduling gaps increases.

On September 3, NDP Leader Wab Kinew promised to “reset the government’s relationship with nurses.” This would include phasing-in a ban via legislation on the use of mandatory overtime as a routine staffing tool. This has been done in over a dozen U.S. states to great success in terms of reducing mandatory overtime while improving recruitment and retention as well as patient safety.

Kinew emphasized that the ban could not be accomplished overnight. A balanced, phased-in approach would ensure best practices are borrowed from other jurisdictions and applied appropriately in Manitoba. He also acknowledged the need for exemptions to be made for specific situations such as public health emergencies, long surgical procedures, and other instances that demand it. However, the key intent is to ban it as a routine staffing tool that perpetuates the ability of employers and the government to leave vacancies unfilled.

Mandatory overtime is a growing concern for nurses in the WRHA. Nurses at Saint Boniface Hospital have been tracking — on their own though voluntary reporting — each incident of mandating. 2018 saw a meteoric rise in the number of reported incidents to over 1,700, up from just 328 in 2017.

Mandating is a problem in facilities throughout the province, including long-term care facilities and public health clinics. “Nurses know that mandatory overtime puts care at risk, and drives nurses out of the province or the profession altogether by causing burnout,” said MNU President Darlene Jackson. “It’s time we put together a real plan to ban this unfair practice for the safety of staff and patients.”

Although the NDP have returned to the role of the Official Opposition, they can still table legislation on the subject of mandatory overtime in the hopes of achieving a bi-partisan compromise. Stay tuned for updates on this initiative as MNU continues to lobby all political parties on the issue.

“Nurses know that mandatory overtime puts care at risk, and drives nurses out of the province or the profession altogether by causing burnout.”

FEDERAL ELECTION 2019

1. Real differences between plans for health care

The Canadian Federation of Nursing Unions (CFNU) analyzed the platforms of each major political party (Conservative, Green, Liberal and NDP) and found significant differences between them on key health care issues for nurses. CFNU graded parties on a scale of 1 to 5 for each of CFNU’s top issues: pharmacare, seniors’ care, violence & staffing, funding and child care.

At a time when Canadians may have felt that voting wasn’t worth their time or effort, CFNU’s analysis proved that there were significant differences between the options on the ballot.

To read CFNU’s full report, visit stoppretending.ca/vote-for-action

2. A step forward for universal pharmacare

Three out of the four major national political parties promised to introduce universal pharmacare if elected: Green, Liberal and NDP. This left only the Conservative Party outside of a growing national consensus that truly universal pharmacare is the best path forward for improving health outcomes and saving billions of dollars over the long-term.

Out of the three parties that promised universal pharmacare, the Liberals left the most holes in their platform. A targeted investment of $6 billion was widely panned as insufficient for establishing such a program, as recommended by the government’s own expert Advisory Council.

However, the Liberals were returned to power with a minority mandate. That means they must work across party lines in order to ensure the confidence of the house. The NDP and Greens both had bolder and more specific plans for establishing universal pharmacare, and can use this as leverage to pressure the Liberals into meeting this objective. CFNU will be lobbying federal officials aggressively in order to ensure all political parties stay true to their promises on this file.

3. Nurses made their voices heard

Nurses across the country made their voices heard this federal election. This is due in part to the CFNU campaign launched to engage nurses and all Canadians at the 2019 Biennial Convention in Frederiction, NB. The campaign was largely channeled through the website StopPretending.ca, which served as an interactive hub for engaging federal candidates and highlighting the need for upgrades to our public health care system.

The campaign reached millions of voters, who sent thousands of emails to candidates demanding they take action on CFNU issues. In one of the closest elections in recent history, the CFNU campaign no doubt had an impact on the final results. And while the results show that clearly there is more work to be done to meet our shared objectives, real progress is within our grasp.

“While the election results show that there is much work to be done to unify our country as a whole, they also show that the majority of voters believe that we should be investing in people, our planet, and caring for each other more, not less,” said CFNU President Linda Silas following the election. “We have no illusions. We know bringing about a national universal single-payer pharmacare program will take relentless advocacy. But nurses are no strangers to hard work, and I have no doubt that we have what it takes to hold politicians’ feet to the fire.”

4. Health care funding remains an issue

Unfortunately, it appears that health care transfers will remain at current levels. After the 2015 election, the Trudeau Liberals decided to limit annual increases to the provinces to 3%; this was cut from 6% by the Harper government and continues to impact health care budgets at the provincial level. 5.2% annual growth is widely considered to be the minimum required to maintain existing health care services. Although the Trudeau government is ‘sweetening the pot’ by providing additional funding for initiatives such as mental health and long-term care, it does not close the gap completely. Insufficient annual transfer growth will put increasing pressure on a health care system already struggling to meet the demands of an aging and growing population. In Manitoba, our concern is this will continue to be downloaded to the province and incentivize the Pallister government to continue its austerity program.

5. Long-term care receiving more national attention

Long-term care was not a major ballot box issue this election, however, it did receive attention from most major political parties. The Greens (2.5/5), Liberals (3.5/5) and NDP (4/5) all explicitly addressed the issue in their platforms, leaving the Conservatives (1/5) far behind again. The NDP plan stood out as committing to establishing national standards for long-term care, which is essential for ensuring baseline standards in all communities, and desperately needed as the baby boomer generation ages.

Last year, MNU released a landmark report on this very issue (The Future of Long-Term Care is Now), which recommended legislating 4.1 direct care hours per resident per day. This report summarized internationally recognized best practices and evidence, showing this to be a minimum for ensuring better care for all long-term care residents. CFNU has echoed these recommendations at the federal level, and member organizations continue to lobby their respective provincial governments as well.

In light of a Liberal minority government, there is a window of opportunity for ensuring targeted funding for long-term care is coupled with legislative action requiring baseline standards across the country.

Following the results of union representation voting in August, MNU immediately resumed preparations for bargaining the next collective agreement. On September 6, the Provincial Collective Bargaining Committee (PCBC) met in Winnipeg to review the existing proposals – which were developed through extensive consultations with MNU members prior to March 2017 – and develop a timeline moving forward. Although the Pallister government has not indicated when it intends to bargain, MNU is working to ensure every effort is made to move the process forward.

As previously reported, although the last collective agreement expired in March 2017, the terms continue to apply in full force until the next one is negotiated and approved by the union and employer.

Below are answers to key questions that members have raised this fall.

Q: The representation votes are over. What is delaying bargaining?

Due to factors beyond MNU’s sole control, there are several steps to follow before collective bargaining can occur. The first step is for MNU to receive bargaining certificates that will enable it to legally represent new members that are joining the union as a result of the recent representation votes. A bargaining unit certificate is what legally authorizes and gives jurisdiction to the Union to represent those members as defined in the certificate. Without the certificates, MNU does not have the legal authority to represent the new members.

The issuing of certificates took longer than anticipated due to proposed language changes to the certificates.

This matter has since been resolved, and MNU has been advised by the Bill 29 Commissioner that certificates will be issued as follows:

Certificates for rural regions will be issued with an effective date of December 8, 2019.

Certificates for the WRHA and Shared Health will be issued with an effective date of December 13, 2019.

To all members, we appreciate your patience and understanding as we work through this process. With the certificates to be issued this December, we can work towards next steps as we prepare for collective bargaining.

Q: Will there be consultation with members before bargaining begins?

Once the bargaining certificates are finalized, MNU will send out a new bargaining survey to all MNU members. The PCBC recognizes that since a significant amount of time has passed since the initial consultations took place, and because of the emergence of new issues and priorities, a new round of consultation is necessary to ensure the bargaining proposals reflect the priorities of members. Stay tuned for an online Bargaining Survey early in 2020 – MNU will be encouraging as many members as possible to participate.

In the meantime, MNU President Darlene Jackson and the PCBC will continue working closely with internal and externals stakeholders from across the province to ensure bargaining begins as soon as possible.
In October 2019, Jackson met with Health Minister Cameron Friesen and senior Shared Health officials to discuss an array of urgent MNU priorities, including collective bargaining. Although no commitment was made by the minister, Jackson emphasized that collective bargaining is imperative for addressing chronic workplace issues and improving our health care system.

Q: There have been recent contract settlements in other health care sectors (Doctors Manitoba and PARIM for example). Why aren’t we at the bargaining table with the employer?

As explained above, in the aftermath of Bill 29 (health care representation votes), the issuing of bargaining units certificates related to the nursing profession were delayed. Until the certificates are received, MNU is not authorized in every case to act as a bargaining agent. In the case of Doctors Manitoba and PARIM, neither job classification (doctors and medical residents) was on a ballot for representation voting. Therefore, the bargaining unit certification process was far less complex, and those unions could proceed to bargain earlier than most other health care unions. Traditionally, Doctors Manitoba bargains on a distinct timeline from other health care unions, and this usually results in bargaining before nurses. In the case of PARIM, they filed for arbitration with standing as the formally recognized certified bargaining agent, and were awarded a settlement. However, in both cases, the validity of both agreements due to Bill 28 is a matter of legal dispute.

Q: What is the status of the Bill 28 legal challenge?

The legal challenge to Bill 28 – The Public Services Sustainability Act – is being heard in the Court of Queen’s Bench from November 18 to December 5, 2019. As previously reported, this legislation enforces a two-year wage freeze beginning in March 2017, followed by a 0.75 and 1.0 per cent increase in the third and fourth year respectively. The lawsuit is coordinated by the Manitoba Federation of Labour and funded by the Partnership to Defend Public Services (PDPS), a coalition of public sector unions – including MNU – that are opposed to the legislation on the grounds that it violates the constitutional right to collective bargaining.

Recently, the Pallister government introduced Bill 2 – Amendments to The Public Services Sustainability Act – that attempted to indefinitely delay the court hearing. The Pallister government claimed it included ‘significant amendments’ that would provide more flexibility for bargaining new collective agreements beyond the provisions outlined by Bill 28. The government requested the court case be deferred until Bill 2 is passed and comes into force, by claiming the amendments provide for sufficient ‘consultation’ and nullify the basis of the lawsuit.

After close examination, the PDPS concluded that the proposed legislation did not include meaningful consultation; rather, it proposed centralizing power in cabinet, which can decide whether to provide exemptions to the Bill 28 wage limitations, or clawback any wage increases granted under the existing legislation.

The government’s request to defer trial was denied by the judge assigned to the case, and the court hearings will continue as planned. The PDPS is confident the courts will recognize that this blatantly anti-union legislation violates our members’ rights and will require the government to return to the table. Potentially, this could mean the government may be liable to bargain wages retroactively.

It’s important to remember that Bill 28 is not yet technically enforced – although the government passed the legislation, it did not officially proclaim it into law. This means the government is not yet obligated to even pay out the 0.75 and 1.0 per cent increases, turning what was a unilateral decision to impose meager wage increases into an indefinite wage freeze. The PDPS believes this is because the Pallister government likely knows the bill is illegal and would be struck down by the courts if it was proclaimed as law. By leaving the legislation ‘in limbo’, it can argue it hasn’t actually legislated restrictions on wage increases on public sector employees, and is not liable for retroactive payouts. It is a cynical strategy that the PDPS is challenging using every legal tool available.

Key Takeaways

MNU understands members are frustrated by the government’s refusal to come to the bargaining table. Too much time has passed since the last collective agreement expired, and the union continues to raise members’ disappointment at every opportunity with senior officials and the Health Minister.

In the meantime, MNU is resuming internal preparations including membership consultation. The immediate focus is to finalize the bargaining certificates that will allow MNU to legally represent the new members joining the union as a result of the representation votes. Although the timeline is largely dependent on extraneous factors beyond MNU’s control, members are assured that every necessary step is being taken to ensure bargaining begins as soon as possible.

Provincial Dues Rebate

An individual is eligible for a refund of the MNU Provincial Portion of dues when they have paid in excess of a full year’s full-time/part-time provincial dues where MNU is the bargaining agent. No need to apply. The rebate process is now automatic. MNU will calculate the rebate amount in March of the following year and provide payment in April. Payment refunds are sent via Canada Post mail to the address we have on file at the time. If members have questions about the amount of the rebate or do not receive an anticipated rebate, contact MNU’s Provincial Office.

In order for MNU to provide a T4A reporting the amount in the year that the rebate is paid, we must have the member’s Social Insurance Number (SIN) on file. MNU Provincial Office will contact members for SIN information if we don’t have it on file (provided that we do have contact information for impacted members).

Income Tax is payable on salary replacement paid out from the MNU office and the necessary T4 forms are issued each year.

You may also qualify for a refund of the Provincial Portion of your MNU dues deducted by your employer if you paid MNU dues at two or more facilities/employers. Union dues consist of two components, the Provincial component and Local/Worksite component. Only the Provincial Portion is refundable.

You have been deducted $35 in union dues in one pay period. $30 is the Provincial Portion while the remaining $5 is the Local/Worksite Portion. You would have 26 pay periods with Provincial dues deductions totaling $780 (26 pay periods x $30) before qualifying for a refund. If your total exceeds $780 (without the Local/Worksite Portion) then you are eligible for a refund.

2019 Recap

The 2019 Education Conference gathered over 200 nurses in the heart of downtown Winnipeg for two exciting days of learning and networking.

The conference kicked off in the evening of October 9 with a dinner and ‘fireside chat’ with MNU President Darlene Jackson. Participants had the opportunity to ask Jackson a variety of questions about the recent union representation vote campaign, the outcome of the provincial election, upcoming plans regarding collective bargaining, and ongoing cuts and changes in health care.

Jackson addressed nurses’ concerns directly, many of which revolve around increasing workload and overtime in programs throughout the system, including long-term care and public health that are not as often reported in the media.

“We all have to fight back. Our strength comes from our members. And we become a stronger union when we come together and discuss nursing issues,” explained Jackson.

“That’s why the Education Conference is so important. We can learn from one another and discuss real issues, and take back valuable lessons learned to our workplaces.”

Rebeck talked candidly about the labour movement’s battles with the Pallister government. From wage freeze legislation, forced representation votes, attacks on workplace safety standards and reckless attacks on the health care system, there is no shortage of issues impacting unionized and non-unionized working Manitobans across the province.

That’s why it’s more important than ever before that nurses make their voices heard as members of the labour movement, and help oppose anti-labour initiatives imposed by the Pallister government.

“This government doesn’t want to listen, Pallister doesn’t want to bargain, and he doesn’t want to hear dissenting voices,” said Rebeck. “There’s a lot of politics out there that are about dividing. We can’t have governments trying to pit us against each other.”

“We all have to fight back. Our strength comes from our members. And we become a stronger union when we come together and discuss nursing issues.”

The next morning featured a plenary session with Manitoba Federation of Labour (MFL) President Kevin Rebeck. MNU officially affiliated with the MFL following a democratic vote at AGM 2019. The MFL is the provincial body of the Canadian Labour Congress, and helps advocate for the common interests of the labour movement and working people.

“Our advocacy doesn’t stop when the shift does,” said Jackson as she introduced Rebeck. “We are experts and deserve a voice in the MFL, for the benefit of all nurses and working people.”

The theme of union solidarity and organizing carried through two days of workshops. Courses such as “Being an Active MNU Member” and “Speaking Up Effectively” spoke to the need for union activism in the workplace, and tactics for making our collective concerns heard by employers, government and the public at large. Other courses such as “The What, When and How of Workload Staffing Reports,” and “Understanding Grievance and the Grievance Investigation Processes (GIPs)” offered technical explanations of how these tools relate to the collective agreement and nurses’ rights, and how MNU utilizes internal processes to work with members to ensure employers are held accountable for labour relations issues.

“We are experts and deserve a voice in the MFL, for the benefit of all nurses and working people.”

Although the conference ended early for some participants due to an unexpected snow storm, the energy carried through to the end and the courses were received positively by members.

Stay tuned for registration information for Education Conference 2020 in the coming months! Visit manitobanurses.ca/education-conference, and subscribe to The Pulse e-newsletter to ensure you receive news and updates (update your email address in the Member Portal or contact membership@mantiobanurses.ca).

What is the MFL?

A: The Manitoba Federation of Labour (MFL) is an organization that brings unions together on issues of common concern. It is the provincial body of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) of which MNU is already
a member. Today, the MFL represents more than 100,000 working Manitobans in the public and private sectors. As a coalition of labour unions, the MFL is responsible for amplifying the interests of its affiliates and working people across Manitoba.

Why did MNU join the MFL?

A: As a member of the CLC, MNU already had a close working relationship with the MFL. For example, MNU was a founding member of the Partnership to Defend Public Services, the coalition of public sector unions that came together to challenge the government’s unconstitutional wage freeze legislation, Bill 28. This partnership is led by the MFL, who have done a remarkable job of coordinating and supporting this group. By formalizing our relationship with the MFL, MNU has an official seat at the table, working together with other unions to address issues of common concern.​

What other work does the MFL do?

A: Be it on pensions, workplace health and safety, or labour relations, the MFL plays a critical role in this province of ensuring working people’s rights are protected both through advocacy and formal working relationships with the province. The MFL has championed important issues like opposing privatization in health care, and ensuring coverage for psychological injuries. They were instrumental in achieving paid leave for workers experiencing domestic violence. The MFL also has a formal role in board appointments to the Manitoba Labour Board, the Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba, and a variety of other important organizations. Indeed, their work has greatly benefited MNU members, and all Manitobans.

Nurses know that human health and the environment are closely interlinked. Over the coming decades, our rapidly changing climate will pose the biggest threat to human health and well-being across every region of our planet.

The frequency and magnitude of extreme weather events is increasing, including heat waves, wildfires, and severe storms. These events are resulting in billions of dollars in damages, parts of which are absorbed by the health care system. As extreme weather causes harm to human health, nurses will see an impact on the health care system in many ways, including increased workload and emergency response situations.

The potential health impacts of climate change on Canadians are numerous:

Higher rates of heat-stroke and stress.

Increased allergens from more intense and prolonged pollen seasons.

Mental distress associated with displacement from wildfires and floods.

The further spread of Lyme disease.

Cardiorespiratory distress from air pollution linked to wildfires.

Increased respiratory ailments due to increasing levels of ground-level ozone and air pollution.

Decreased access to food due to fluctuations in yields and food prices.

The Canadian Nursing Association (CNA) has recognized the relative importance of this issue to the nursing profession in its Code of Ethics, and recommends nurses support and advocate “for initiatives that reduce environmentally harmful practices in order to promote health and well-being [and maintain] awareness of broader global health concerns.”

The Canadian Federation of Nursing Unions (CFNU) is also joining the fight against climate change, and calling on governments to immediately adapt scientifically proven methods to effectively address the crisis.

CFNU Releases Climate Change Discussion Paper

At the 2019 CFNU Biennial Convention, CFNU presented a new discussion paper on the topic, outlining concrete steps that nurses and their unions can take to make a difference:

Work with your employers, unions and associations to reduce emissions and to ‘green’ your workplace: Promote green procurement; divest pension plans from high-emission sectors; join the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care; learn how environmental impact assessments can be deployed in your workplaces.

Know about climate change science, and help educate patients and the general public about it: Campaign for the ecological determinates of health to be included in nursing education; counsel patients to prepare for the effects of climate events.

Call for meaningful federal and provincial actions to reduce and eliminate climate change-causing emissions to ensure Canada leads the world in implementing its obligations under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (the Paris Accord): Advocate for a just transition and equitable treatment for workers in high-emitting sectors; support Canada’s target of phasing out coal by 2030; support carbon pricing; promote renewable energy.

Be aware and plan for the emerging patient needs resulting from climate change and help them take action to support a healthy planet: Work with organizations to identify climate vulnerable communities; include the ecological determinates of health when assessing patients; name and acknowledge eco-anxiety in patients; prepare for climate refugees).

Promote active transportation and local healthy agriculture and food systems that reduce emissions: Promote workplace infrastructure that supports active transportation; work with dietitians to advocate for and promote healthy eating that includes less meat, processed foods and food packaging; support local sustainable agriculture.

According to leading international scientists, the world’s nations have only 12 years left to dramatically reduce emissions and we must be net zero by 2050. Nurses can help push governments to act across the country.

Linda Silas, President of CFNU, is encouraging all member organizations to get involved in the fight against climate change. “As the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions we can and must do more to advocate for economic and social transitions to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions,” says Silas. “We can and must do more to create resiliency within our health care communities and prepare effectively for the challenges to come as our climate changes.”

Nurses are encouraged to do their research on how climate change will impact their communities, and get involved in local initiatives aimed at climate change mitigation and adaptation. Check out the following online resources above for more information about how to make a difference.